25 April 2025
Sumitomo Electric Achieves Successful Handover of the Greenlink Interconnector Project
Sumitomo Electric Industries Ltd. together with its consortium partner Siemens Energy completed the trial operations and the handedover of the Greenlink Interconnector Project to its client, Greenlink Interconnector Limited (hereinafter referred to as Greenlink), into operational and commercial use.
The Greenlink Interconnector Project is a submarine and underground electricity interconnector cable with associated converter stations linking the existing electricity grids in Ireland and the United Kingdom and has a nominal capacity of 500MW. Greenlink provides a new grid connection between EirGrid’s Great Island substation in County Wexford, Ireland, and National Grid’s Pembroke substation in Pembrokeshire, Wales, UK. Electricity flows in either direction, depending on supply and demand in each country.
The Greenlink Interconnector Project is considered to be one of Europe's most important energy infrastructure projects and took ten years to deliver, between its development and construction. Construction began by the Consortium in January 2022 and was completed in just over three years with no significant accidents or incidents.
Siemens Energy constructed two high-voltage direct current (HVDC) converter stations which can convert alternating current to direct current and vice versa to transport the electricity over long distances.
The converter stations are linked by Sumitomo Electric’s innovative and environmentally friendly HVDC cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE) cables. The cable installation includes onshore HVDC cables along a 24 km route in Ireland and a 6 km route in Wales, plus submarine cables along a 160 km offshore route across the Irish Sea.
Now that it is operational, the Greenlink Interconnector Project will provide the potential to power 380,000 homes and will deliver increased security of supply for electricity consumers, by diversifying energy sources and providing additional import and export capacity in both countries.
Ireland’s Minister for Climate, Environment and Energy, Darragh O’Brien TD, officially launched the opening of the Interconnector at an event in Enniscorthy.
Mr. O’Brien said, "Increased electricity interconnection will be a key enabler in our growing use of renewable energy, facilitating the delivery of the necessary infrastructure to support our energy ambitions in our journey to a net-zero power system. Interconnection will also play an important role in our transition to become a net energy exporter, making Ireland central to wider European energy plans. The role of interconnection is a large part of our wider energy ambitions. This project is a tangible expression of our ever-strengthening energy relationship with the UK and highlights the value and benefits which international energy collaboration can bring.”
Greenlink Chief Executive Officer James O’Reilly said, "It will increase security of supply, which is very topical at the moment, for Ireland and the United Kingdom, it will increase the penetration of renewal energy on both Grids, and it will reduce wholesale electricity prices.
The last number of years have shown it is vital for all European countries to have a diversified energy mix, and this interconnector will bring benefits for Ireland, Britain and the wider European community.”
The Consortium would like to extend its sincere gratitude to the local communities in County Wexford, Ireland and in Pembrokeshire, Wales, UK for their patience, support, and cooperation during the construction of the interconnector.